The use of energy releasing catalyst in the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels is known and, for example, is taught by Berenyi (U.S. Patent No. 4,668,247) who discloses the use of a liposoluble organometallic compound combined in a diluent oil and further processed to form a solid substance which is thereafter added to hydrocarbon fuel prior to combustion, for example, in an internal combustion engine. Others coated an inert substrate with the desired catalyst and passed the fuel over the catalyst/substrate at the time of combustion. The use of catalysis during hydrocarbon combustion has been shown to increase the energy output of the fuel and, because of the lower combustion temperature, lower the emission of the nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxides which are considered to be undesirable environmental pollutants.
The prior art preparation of catalytic agents used inert substrates for catalyst support, and catalyst/substrate mixtures for combination with hydrocarbon fuels. While use of catalyst/substrate mixtures demonstrated improved energy release, such mixtures result in substrate separation which in turn causes mechanical injector or needle valve clogging.
Confronted with these difficulties, Goldman et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,716) developed a new and unique catalyst/substrate delivery system to obtain more efficient combustion of hydrocarbon fuels and at the same time, reduce the environmental pollutants emitting therefrom. The catalyst/substrate combination of Goldman et al had a particle size of greater than one micron but less than two thousand microns and was created by disposing particulate catalyst onto a frozen substrate of fuel pellets which created micro-globules having a specific gravity suitable for the intended use.
More particularly, Goldman et al, supra, allowed a proven catalyst to be delivered into a hydrocarbon fuel combustion chamber as mini-globules where it favorably influenced the efficiency of the combustion reaction by a myriad of catalytic shards which resulted from the explosion of each mini-globule. Goldman et al also eliminated inert substrate from the product of the combustion reaction thereby avoiding the distribution of such particulates into the fuel injectors and needle valves and the clogging which resulted therefrom.
With its many advances to the art, Goldman et al still suffered from the fact that it required a substantial capital investment to locate and erect the extremely tall (circa 100 ft.) tower required to practice the invention.
Thus a need still exists for further improvement in the design and production of catalytically coated microspheres which eliminates the large space and capital requirements of current technology. It is toward such improvements that the present invention is directed.